Full programme published for upcoming RCVS clinical career pathways event

The full programme has now been published for the upcoming RCVS ‘Exploring Clinical Career Pathways for the Future’ event, which will seek input from members of the professions and other stakeholders on how to enhance and clarify career options for a range of veterinary surgeons, including Advanced Practitioners, general practitioners and specialists.

The event, which is open to all members of the professions to attend, takes place on Wednesday 7 December at the Royal College of Surgeons in London and starts at 10.30am with an introduction to the event from RCVS President Melissa Donald and RCVS Director of Education Dr Linda Prescott-Clements.

With the overall aim of the day being how veterinary clinical career pathways could be enhanced to improve accessibility and flexibility, the second session (11am to 11.30am) will be a presentation from RCVS Junior Vice-President Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS and Dr Kit Sturgess FRCVS, who was Chair of the Advanced Practitioner Assessors Panel when the status was first launched in 2014, as well as the issues identified in the feedback received during the College’s 2021 review of Advanced Practitioner (AP) status.

It was this review that precipitated discussions around clarifying roles as it identified issues such as confusion about AP status amongst the profession and the wider public, and the need for a pathway for practitioners once they’ve achieved the status that would allow for a greater sense of progression and professional growth.

In the next session (11.30am – 12pm) there will be a presentation from Dr Helen Anderson, a Research Fellow at the York Trials Unit in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, who will present her research on professional identity, portfolio careers for General Medical Practitioners and the experiences of general medical practitioners who work in emergency departments as part of their portfolio career. She will explore the potential implications of portfolio careers for workforce retention and will discuss why professional identity is crucial to the development of new roles and models of working.

Following Helen’s talk, RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett will present the four different topics for delegates to discuss in small groups for the remainder of the afternoon. These are:

• Names for veterinary roles that are clearly understood and recognised;
• Recognition of career pathways and roles by employers and the public, and the impact this has on work;
• Accessible routes to specialisation;
• Recognition of the general practitioner role and the value it brings.

Following the small group discussions, the event will reconvene at 3.45pm for feedback from each of the groups, a summary of the day’s discussions and information about the College’s next steps for enhancing and clarifying veterinary roles and career pathways.

Dr Linda Prescott-Clements (pictured), RCVS Director of Education, said: “Although this event has been organised following the review of the Advanced Practitioner status carried out last year, the discussions around career development and how we bring clarity to the public around veterinary roles are relevant for general practitioners and specialists alike. If you have ideas on how veterinary roles can be communicated more clearly to the public, or steps that can be taken to ensure that vets of all types have fulfilling careers with opportunities for professional development, then please make sure to register to attend.”

Attendance at the event is free and you can register via the dedicated Eventbrite page.